14-24 Clearwater Police: Stabbing Victim Manufactured Entire Story

3/7/2014 4:09:00 PM

Contact: Rob Shaw

March 7, 2014

14-24

Clearwater Police: Stabbing Victim Manufactured Entire Story

Ricardo Vargas apparently was seeking attention and found plenty of it.

So he stabbed himself in the stomach earlier this week and made up a story about how he was the victim of a violent crime that occurred during a burglary. He even appeared on local television detailing the alleged crime.

It turns out there was no burglary. There were no two suspects.

Vargas, 34, admitted late Thursday he concocted the whole scenario.

Police responded to Turnbury Apartments at 25450 U.S. 19 N. at 4 p.m.

Wednesday after Vargas called to say he had been stabbed. He told police he came home and opened the door to find a Hispanic male standing inside the residence with his back to him.

He said the Hispanic man stabbed him in the stomach with a knife from his own kitchen and then ran out the front door. He said the other suspect, a black male, came running from the bedroom and also ran out the front door.

Vargas was flown by helicopter to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, where he was treated and released.

Dozens of Clearwater Police personnel - 27 units in all - swarmed to the area to search for the suspects.

"He wasted the time and resources of the Clearwater Police Department, Clearwater Fire & Rescue and the Bayflite staff," said Police Chief Tony Holloway. "He created a climate of fear in the neighborhood there that was unwarranted."

The case has been referred to the Pasco-Pinellas State Attorney's Office for possible charges of filing a false police report.